Welcome Home
by Foxmur
Summary: Tod smiles as he catches the smallest glimpse of his friend above the hill. It's been six long months, and here he writes his thoughts as he prepares for the midnight run over to Copper just like the good old days.


A/N: Hello newfound readers, I am known as Foxmur. In nearly five years, this is the first time I have written any sort of fan fiction for anything than my typical locale, as well as being anything specifically related to fan fiction within the last year or two. I may be a little rusty. This write is as short piece from Tod as a journal taking place when Copper returns in the spring. You may take this as you will, a friendship or love story. I am very open to critique and welcome anyones feedback. Thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoy!

**The Fox and the Hound: Welcome Home**

Your absence has nearly swallowed me whole the last few months. Oh, how it excites me so that you've returned! I've been told to stray away and keep my distance from you, based on sole theory that you won't be who I once met you as before. I know very well that you'll be bigger, but I bet you'll be even funner, too. I miss the days where we chased each other through the forests and had not a care in the world. I know those innocent days of our youth are long past, but I still believe my life is long to live, and it's meant to be with you. I'm said to be nothing but trouble over there. I think your old man wants to kill me. But, shucks, you're my best friend, and I don't plan to let you abandon me after coming so far with you, buddy.

I really hope you'll still remember me, because golly, you haven't been erased from my mind once since that sad day you left on that old pickup. I've been stubbed with sadness because I was a minute too late to say goodbye to my best pal. But, I've learned that time does possible favors, and it should make our reunion even grander. There ain't no harm in the world from two friends who just want to play, should there? We aren't so different, y'know. We wouldn't have become friends if we were so different, would we? I don't see how you could be my enemy, buddy. Sure, time'll do some strange things to us, but we'll have a lot to catch up on, won't we?

Looking out over your settling up hill has been so dreary for the longest time. I'm so excited that you're home! The farm's been fine and dandy, but it hasn't been any fun without you around, pal. Maybe we can go and play hide and seek; just for old times? I don't think I'm so welcome over there above the ridge, but maybe Momma would let you play with me over here? Maybe she'd let you stay the night and we'd sleep together outside under the stars? A'course, that's assuming she actually lets me outside in the first place. Even with you gone, she's been extra cautious around here. But, I think it's mainly 'cause of the weather, and she thinks I'll get lost.

Gosh, I just want to run over there right now, give you a big ol' hug and tell you how much I missed ya! I bet you haven't changed a bit! I hope I'm still the same, because I don't feel any different; other than being a few inches taller. I really don't have anyone I can call my friend around here; at least, no one my age. I want to share all my secrets with you, even though I don't think I have any. I only wonder what you'll do when you see me. Hopefully you know I still want to be friends with you.

It's hard to just sit here and watch from afar like I have these many months, as today it's reached a peak of time ticking ever so slowly. This time, you're actually home, and I can't go and see you until everyone's asleep. I wish I could just walk in and bring smiles across your family's faces instead of growls and shotgun bullets spraying every mile. But, that's why I'd keep coming over to see you, because I ain't scared of them. All I care about is being able to see you and, whether or not we can play, I'm happy because we get to see each other. You just bring a smile to my face, and I hope I do the same for you. I don't want to be a nuisance, but you're my best friend, bud.

I think it'd be pretty cool to hear about what you've done the last few months. I didn't get a good look, but I think I saw you getting out of the side of that same pickup when I heard it coming 'round from down the road and stopping in front of your place. No one else has been around there, so I knew it was you. I even went and snooped around there a couple times thinking you were secretly playing hide 'n' seek with me, and hiding ten times better than you had before. Eventually, I had to accept that you weren't somewhere secret and that you were really gone. I was pretty sure you were coming back, but it was such a long time that'd passed that made me think "soon" was still so far away. I'm so happy to finally see you again.

I hope that your family doesn't treat you as bad as they treat me. I remember them smiling and having hopes for your future, but I just don't get what they hate about me, so I just assume that they're like that towards everyone. They're just grumpy old coots who can't have fun like we can. A'course, my Momma's so nice and she's old, too. Maybe they just didn't get a friend to play with like you and I did? I bet if they gave me a chance, they'd really like me. But, if I can at least have you around, then I'm still happy as ever.

Where did you go, anyways? I bet you didn't even know. It must've been some kind of surprise. It's nice and quiet around here, so I wonder what could be better than this? You coming back, of course. I'm awful sorry that I miss you so much. I don't want you to feel like its your fault or nothin', 'cause I don't blame you one bit!

Man, if I could just have all night to spend with you, then that'd make up for everything and we'd be better than best buddies. No matter how long it is, we'll always be friends and we'll always be kids, because I don't see myself not tackling you into a bush and seeing who can stay on top as we'd roll around play fighting for dominance. You usually won, but I would put up a good fight! No one else is as fun to wrestle with as you. Then again, you are my only neighbor, so that's probably why I always resort to you. But, that only makes me think even more that you and I were meant to be best friends.

Big Momma's started telling me about girls and how I'll start focusing on 'em, but I haven't thought once about anything other than you, buddy; at least, nothing as lengthy. I've missed you so very much, but I won't lie that I've had fun being able to explore the area without worrying about my head getting blown off. There's lots of watering holes around here that I think you and I would have so much fun swimming in. A'course, we're much bigger now and they're not as deep or big as they'd have been when we were little, but I'm sure we can still have fun splashing it back and forth at each other. I bet that because we're faster and larger, we'll cover so much more ground when we play chase! You may've been better at wrestling, but I've always been faster at chase! You started getting closer before you left, but I managed to beat you far over the ridgeline before you could even get halfway to me!

Maybe I'll put this letter somewhere safe for you to one day find, or maybe I'll sneak it over right now just as anticipation for meeting later tonight. I bet we'll be expecting to see one another, so maybe this letter isn't even worth the time I'm spending on it. But, these are my feelings and I want to have you one day find this because you should be sure of yourself that I'd never erase you as my best friend. By the way, I'm real sorry for all the tears I'm getting on here, if you can even read my scummy handwriting. All these memories and the excitement of talking to you is getting to me, and I just can't wait to be with you. I think I'm gonna stop before I crumble it to pieces like the dozens of other rough drafts I've written as I've grown these past months. This one is most important, because now you're finally here, and that means I've learned a lot and I can pile together what may be most important here for you.

Regardless, this letter will end up somewhere and I want you to read it, if you can, just so you'll be aware of how much I've missed you. I love you Copper, and you'll always be my bestest friend forever.

-Tod

**FIN**


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